BATON ROUGE – Twenty-four regional finalists have been selected to compete for 2005 Louisiana Teacher of the Year.

This number includes Dana Perilloux of St. Rose Elementary School.

Winners will be announced at an awards banquet and reception Oct. 20 at the Holiday Inn South in Baton Rouge. An overall Teacher of the Year will be selected, as well as Teachers of the Year at the Elementary, Middle and High School levels.

Winners are chosen based on criteria including teaching skills and dedication, plans to continue in the profession, respect of students, parents and coworkers, community leadership, contributions to school groups, affiliations with educational organizations, and possession of a superior ability to inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn.

Through the yearlong selection process, nominations progress from each district within the state to a regional committee and then to a state selection committee. A State Selection Committee interviews the 24 finalists and selects the Elementary, Middle and High School winners and the overall Louisiana Teacher of the Year. Louisiana’s overall winner advances to the National Teacher of the Year competition that culminates with selection of the national winner in spring 2005.

“Quality teachers in our classrooms improve instruction, and our finalists exemplify the type of teacher we want in our classrooms. All of these finalists are winners in my book,” State Superintendent of Education Cecil J. Picard said.

“Our finalists are inspirations to our students and are outstanding representatives for all Louisiana teachers,” BESE President Glenny Lee Buquet said.

Finalists include:

Elementary School Level

Tessie E. Adams, Acadian Elementary School, Houma, Terrebonne Parish

Marjorie M. Dubea, Bains Elementary School, St. Francisville, West Feliciana Parish

Connie Gordon, Delhi Elementary School, Delhi, Richland Parish

Sharon M. Hargis, Lafargue Elementary School, Effie, Avoyelles Parish

Tammy Marcantel, Kinder Elementary School, Kinder, Allen Parish

Kimberly McGrath, Green T. Lindon Elementary School, Youngsville, Lafayette Parish

Dana Cantillo Perilloux, St. Rose Elementary School, St. Rose, St. Charles Parish

Andrea L. Spinney, Platt Elementary School, Haughton, Bossier Parish

Middle School Level

Ernest Bott, Jr., Dry Prong High School, Dry Prong, Grant Parish

Dale E. Davidson, Westdale Middle School, Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish

Janice Tucker Grisham, Houma Jr. High School, Houma, Terrebonne Parish

Anda Leigh Juban, Cope Middle School, Bossier City, Bossier Parish

Rena K. Oynes, Lake Harbor Middle School, Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish

DeEtte McKinley Quinn, Riser Middle School, West Monroe, Ouachita Parish

Rebecca Roberts, Milton Elementary/Middle School, Milton, Lafayette Parish

Lois White Shields, NSU Middle Lab School, Natchitoches, Natchitoches Parish

High School Level

Cheryl Seals Bruton, Franklinton High School, Franklinton, Washington Parish

Rebecca Fletcher, Montgomery High School, Montgomery, Grant Parish

Jan Freeland, Many High School, Many, Sabine Parish

Earl Stan Gravois, South Terrebonne High School, Bourg, Terrebonne Parish

Shawn McNeilly, Jennings High School, Jennings, Jefferson Davis Parish

Sylvia Ann Osment, Southwood High School, Shreveport, Caddo Parish

Carolyn Sykes, Ouachita Parish High School, Monroe, Ouachita Parish

Laree LeJune Taylor, Northdale Magnet Academy, Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish